Dream's Shadow

Summary:
This is my take on the over- and usually poorly- done plot. Edward leaves Bella again. She is changed and they meet again in the future. There will be a big twist! Requested by Iris. Banner by Iris!

Notes:
Try it! I know stories like this usually stink, but I thought I'd give it a try. I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all.

81. Chapter 81

“Excellent!” He claps his hands together in the manner of an excited child. I grumble.

I am furious at myself. Jacob. Embry. Quil. Sam. Seth. Leah. Colin and Brady, who are still children. Paul. Jared.

What have I just agreed to?

Murder. Cold-blooded murder to serve my own ends… no. It’s not quite so heartless and cruel. It’s not totally without reason. I am protecting myself and my family.

By killing my friends.

How will I ever have the heart, or the lack thereof, to follow through with this? How will I do it?

I won’t be able to. I will have to sit out. And then worry about Edward’s safety.

I’ll never survive it.

“You are free to go, my friends. Just keep in mind that we can locate you anywhere in the world you attempt to free. There is no safety, if you renege on your deal.”

“We won’t. We’ll get the wolves out of La Push for you,” Edward promises, and in those words I see some hope.

There is a mischievous glint in his smile that alerts me to a simple fact. Edward has a plan, as always. He’s not going to let this transpire the way Aro plans it to. He won’t expect me to kill. I count on it.

“Where’s Alice?” he asks.

“Right here,” comes a musical voice. I turn, and then laugh aloud in delight.

“Alice!”

I rush into my sister’s arms, picking her up—she’s tiny, and now that we’re both vampires, it’s almost effortless to lift her. “I missed you so much,” I say, and she nods her agreement.

Jasper appears too. “Hello.”

“No need to be so shy. I’m not edible anymore,” I tease, and he lopes forward, smiling.

“You’ve been filled in on the plan?” I ask.

“Yes. Shall we go?”

“I’m as eager to get out of here as you are,” Alice murmurs. Flitting across her mind, I see terrible images.

A cage in the middle of a dark room, throwing herself against the bars again and again, deep thirst rushing in her throat. Jasper’s voice full of desperation in the dark, unable to see her or touch her or comfort her, trying to soothe her with words and his power but nothing does any good.

Alice’s thoughts are somewhat unusual. They run in a pattern like her visions, an oddly fluid rush. I sigh at the painful content in them.

Jasper is wincing, too, like he can’t stand this place. I’m sure it’s been worst of all for him, having to watch Alice in so much pain, totally unable to help her.

I lead the way out. As we walk outside the walls of Volterra, Edward smiles. “So, the plan.”

Edward’s hand is around my waist, as though we were never apart, and the touch is so comforting. “The plan?”

“My plan.” He looks at my confusion and smiles. “Love, you didn’t really think we were going to… you did, didn’t you? You thought we would really have to kill the wolves? After… oh, my love. I’m sorry. Let me tell you, darling.”